In this review, we will be comparing AE1 40th Anniversary and EVO5.2, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Acoustic Energy and Wharfedale.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary and Wharfedale EVO5.2 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary | Wharfedale EVO5.2 |
|---|
| Brand | Acoustic Energy
United Kingdom · founded 1987 | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" Dome | 1.375" AMT (Ribbon) |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 2" |
|---|
| Woofer | 5" ceramic-coated aluminium | 6.5" woven Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 50-45k Hz | 44-24k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 150 watts | 25-120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 7.00kg / 15.4lbs | 15.05kg / 33.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 11.6" x 7.1" x 9.4"
295.0 x 180.0 x 240.0mm | 19.6" x 10.2" x 15.4"
497.0 x 260.0 x 391.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary and Wharfedale EVO5.2 speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary |
Wharfedale EVO5.2 |
| Near-field |
Average |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Good |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Bad |
Poor |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that AE1 40th Anniversary is a 2-way design whereas the EVO5.2 is a 3-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
Acoustic Energy AE1 40th AnniversaryWharfedale EVO5.2
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary |
Wharfedale EVO5.2 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1.375-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 2-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
AE1 40th Anniversary features a 1.1" aluminium Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" ceramic-coated aluminium Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2800Hz. On the other hand, the EVO5.2 features a 1.375" SilentWeave cotton and felt damping fiber AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter, a 2" Midrange and 1 x 6.5" woven Kevlar Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 800 Hz and 4.3 kHz.
Frequency Response
AE1 40th Anniversary has a frequency range of 50-45k Hz whereas EVO5.2 has a frequency range of 44-24k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 44Hz, the EVO5.2 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the AE1 40th Anniversary's min frequency of 50Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
AE1 40th Anniversary is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the EVO5.2 which has a nominal impedance of 4 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the EVO5.2 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. AE1 40th Anniversary sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the EVO5.2's is rated at 88 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Wharfedale EVO5.2 a more sensitive speaker compared to Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
AE1 40th Anniversary can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS, whereas EVO5.2 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 30 watts less than the AE1 40th Anniversary.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary
Cabinet Type and Port Position
AE1 40th Anniversary has a front firing port whereas EVO5.2 has a bottom firing ports. Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Wharfedale EVO5.2 with its rear-firing port.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary's and Wharfedale EVO5.2's external dimensions. Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary has external dimensions of 295.0 x 180.0 x 240.0mm (11.6 x 7.1 x 9.4inch) whereas Wharfedale EVO5.2 has external dimensions of 497.0 x 260.0 x 391.0mm (19.6" × 10.2" × 15.4").
Wharfedale EVO5.2 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 80mm wider, 202mm taller and 151mm deeper than Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Wharfedale EVO5.2 needs about 135% more floor or shelf area. Wharfedale EVO5.2 is 151mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Wharfedale EVO5.2 is 202mm taller.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary is approximately 432.0cm2 / 67.0inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale EVO5.2 is approximately 1016.6cm2 / 157.6inch2. The AE1 40th Anniversary requires 58% less surface area than the EVO5.2 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary weighs 7.00kg / 15.4lbs and the Wharfedale EVO5.2 weighs 15.05kg / 33.1lbs. This makes the EVO5.2 115% heavier than the AE1 40th Anniversary.
Here is a comparison of how AE1 40th Anniversary and EVO5.2's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary
What's in the Box of Wharfedale EVO5.2?
Here are the items that come with the EVO5.2:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 4 Jumper-bars (pre-installed)
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Pair of white cloth gloves
- User Manual
 Max Input Power |
150 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Nominal Impedance |
6 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 High Frequency Response |
45k Hz
vs
24k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
295mm
vs
497mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
432cm2
vs
1016cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
88 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
44 Hz
vs
50 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Price per pair* |
1799USD
vs
1999USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary |
Wharfedale EVO5.2 |
| Brand |
Acoustic Energy |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
up to 150 watts |
25-120 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.2 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
50-45k Hz |
44-24k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
ceramic-coated aluminium |
woven Kevlar |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.1" |
1.375" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
AMT (Ribbon) |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
2" |
| Crossover Frequency |
2800Hz |
800 Hz and 4.3 kHz |
| Firing Direction |
front |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
295.0mm (11.6") |
497.0mm (19.6") |
| Width |
180.0mm (7.1") |
260.0mm (10.2") |
| Depth |
240.0mm (9.4") |
391.0mm (15.4") |
| Weight |
7.00kg (15.4lbs) |
15.05kg (33.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
RSC constrained-layer HDF/bitumen, ten-coat high gloss |
MDF/Wood-veneer |
| Available Colors |
High Gloss Walnut,High Gloss Black |
Walnut, Grey. Black, White |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
n/a |
18-22" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Wharfedale EVO5.2 digs deeper - 44Hz against 50Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (87dB vs 88dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | A | Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary is the easier load at 6 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | A | Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary takes more power (150W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary is easier to place; Wharfedale EVO5.2 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Neither adds bi-amping, a sub output or height drivers. Wharfedale EVO5.2 sits in a wider range (5 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | Wharfedale EVO5.2 is cheaper - $1,799 against $1,999, about 10% less. |
A Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary B Wharfedale EVO5.2
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
The usual trade-off: Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary measures better, Wharfedale EVO5.2 costs about about 11% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 50Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary the better fit for near-field listening and a small room, and Wharfedale EVO5.2 for a mid-size room and a large room.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.